Print management systems can be valuable for user convenience and document security. In a specified work area, multiple multifunction devices (MFDs) can be set up in different locations and connected to each other via a dedicated print server. MFDs are devices that are capable of performing a variety of office functions, including printing, copying, faxing, scanning, and/or the like. In print management systems generally, multiple user personal computers (PCs) can be connected to one or more MFDs to allow users to access and submit documents to the one or more MFDs. Operating the user PCs, a user can designate which MFD is to be used to print a document.
After a user submits one or more documents to a specified MFD, the user can log into that MFD via a user interface at the MFD to view a list of the submitted documents. The user can choose to print one or more of the submitted documents, and the MFD can print the documents that the user chooses.
However, known print management systems involve certain drawbacks. Some of those disadvantages are related to the fact that the overall queue of print jobs containing all pending print jobs transmitted to all MFDs is typically stored in a dedicated print server, but not in individual MFDs or other print devices. Moreover, any local print queues inserted in individual MFDs are not configured to communicate with other MFDs. This restricted architecture can prove to be burdensome and inconvenient for users, for example in situations where many users submit documents to only a few of the available MFDs. In that situation, the few high-use MFDs can be overloaded with incoming documents from multiple users who lack any way to redirect their print jobs from an overloaded MFD to an unused MFD, or otherwise manage the local queue in conjunction with other devices.
Further, many companies and groups prefer not to use print servers in their local area networks. Because the functionality of the proposed invention has been print server dependent in the past, the proposed invention allows a print job submitted to one device to be printed on another without print servers.